I'm back. I should say WE are back. We arrived on a flight from Madrid to NY yesterday afternoon. We had an amazing honeymoon. We saw, we learned, we read, we researched. We ate and ate and ate and ate. Romance in abundance. Any trip that includes Paris AND Seville is like mainlining pure romance heroin.

Not only that, but 4 miracles occurred while we were gone.

The Democrats won back The House, Democrats won back the Senate, Donald Rumsfeld is history, and Rutgers University beat No. 3 Louisville and now is #6 in the country. Wow.

Here are some highlights and pictures from the trip.

Paris.

We began our trip in Paris. The city was sublime, romantic, stately, elegant, fashionable and delicious. We stayed in a suite at the Hotel de Crillion a former palace on the Place de Concorde.

We spent our first day touring the right bank, walking the Champs Elysees, and watching sunset from Montmarche Cathedral. We had dinner with fellow blogger Mr. Teacher on the Left Bank. Saturday was spent in the Louvre museum and on a Seine River Cruise, dinner again on the Left Bank.


Montmarche Cathedral, Paris

Days 3 and 4 were spent in Cathedrals, including Notre Dame, shopping and dinner in a funky Greek restaurant with my bride's French cousins and Mr. T. There was dancing, gaudy decorations and me breaking real plates instead of clay ones.


The Newlyweds in front of Notre Dame

After Paris we flew to Biarritz, a fashionable resort town in the Southwest of France just miles from the Spanish border. We stayed at the former summer palace of Emperor Napoleon III, the Hotel Du Palais.


The view from our room in Biarritz

Our room overlooked the beach and the sound of the waves crashing on shore was soothing and restorative after a crazy wedding week and the whirlwind of Paris. The resorts spa was a big help in feeling relaxed again.

Our days were spent walking on the beach, along the rocky coastal cliffs and shopping in the town. Our nights were spent eating and playing blackjack at the Casino.


A cliff in Biarritz with the lighthouse in the background

We took a 90 minute train ride west to the Spanish Basque country. We spent a day in St. Sebastian-Donastia. We were told the best Tapas in Spain were to be found there and the claim proved to be correct.

In the old medieval part of the town we hopped from Tapas bar to Tapas bar and sampled the regions famous seafood and hams. We must have tried at least 15 different kinds that afternoon.

The Basque culture, language and cuisine is truly unique and it was really great way to spend a warm sunny day on the coast.


San Sebastian


San Sebastian

From Biarritz we flew to Sevilla, I will post about Spain tomorrow.